Extension pruning saw



L. J. BARRETT EXTENSION PRUNING SAW Filed April 17, I922 2 Sheets-Sheet.1

' [mentor Z202: fEac/aa L. J. BARRETT EXTENS ION PRUNING SAW Filed April17. 1921 2 Sheets-Shem. 2

Inventor: 2:078? .5467'6. .g-f 1. "2r

Patented May 6, 1924.

LEON J. BARRETT, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXTENSION PRUNING- SAW.

Application filed April 17, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ll, LEON J. BARRETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Extension Pruning Saw, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pruning device of the type in which a saw ismovably mounted at the end of a long pole or rod to permit of sawing offlimbs from the ground or a vehicle moving about under the trees or fromthe lower limbs.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a more effectiveand convenient mechanical device for reciprocatingly supporting andoperating the saw than has been used heretofore; to provide an improvedarrangement for clamping the hook to the limb and improvements in thehook itself so that the limb will be securely held within it or, inother words, the pole and the whole apparatus fixed in a definiteposition with respect to the limb and held there while the operation isbeing performed; to

provide simple means for turning the saw into different positions withrespect tothe supporting pole so that it can be brought around to makeits out on either side of the limb; to provide the hook for engaging thelimb and effectively steadying and sup-' porting'the whole device insuch form as to be capable of relative movement to the pole to permitthe pole with the saw thereon to be moved away from the limb so that thesaw can then be turned from one side of the limb to the other, withoutaltering the engagement of the device with the limb, and at the sametime the two kerfs thus made will always be in the same plane; toprovide an improved means for clamping the flexible connections whichoperate the saw for sawing purposes and turn it from one side to theother; and to provide improvements in the details of construction of thevarious parts above mentioned.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa front view of a pruning device constructed in accordance with thisinvention and shown in position for normal operation Fig. 2 is an edgeview of the same;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the lower part of the device;

Serial No. 554,053.

Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 1 on a smaller scale, showing amodification;

Fig. 5 is a view of the upper part of the latter device showing theoperation of nioving the saw from one side of the limb to the other;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the saw on the opposite side ofthe'limb from that illustrated in Fig. 1 and also showing another way ofholding the device on the limb;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the clamping means for the severalflexible connections, and

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the same.

As is common in this class of pruning devices, I provide a long pole 10,preferably of wood, constituting the supporting frame for the wholedevice and designed to be carried around the orchard or among the treeseither by hand or otherwise, and moved up into the trees at its upperend to engage the limbs and support it therefrom. All the mechanism issupported on this pole.

For supporting the pole I have provided a hook 11. This hook instead ofbeing of the usual arc shape is of an angular shape to provide at leastone angle 12 into which the limb W can enter and providing two bearingpoints on the hook at an angle to each other, each consisting of a fiatside so that there will be very little tendency to a rolling action.This hook is shown in the form of a forging or the like having a shank13 which may extend down into the pole, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5,or may be offset, as shown in the other figures, and held against theside of the pole by brackets 14 which surround the pole and havepassages for the shank. One of these brackets is provided with a pointedpin 15 adapted to enter a notch 16 in the shank and hold the shank infixed position. Behind this pin is a spring 17 and a screw 18 for adjusting its pressure. The other bracket is provided simply with apassage for the shank and the shank is provided with a stud 19 adaptedto engage this lower bracket and limit the motion of the shank withrespect to the pole. These brackets are fixed to the pole by headedfastenings extending through it or in any convenient way.

The hook in ordinary use is intended to be placed over the limb as shownin Figs. 1, 2, 1 and 5, and the resistance of the spring 17 issuificient so that the whole device will be supported from the pole withthe hook in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In other words, thepoint 15 holds these two parts together and the weight of the pole isnot sufiicient to overcome the resistance of the spring. If, however, itis desired to lower the pole for a purpose which will be explainedlater, the operator pulls on it, which overcomes the resistance of thespring and the pole drops down as shown in Fig. 5. It can be restoredeasily because there is no other depression in the shank 13. hen thehook is clamped to the limb the operator can force the 'pole upuntil thepin registers with the depression 16 again.

The end of the hook is provided with a sharpened or wedge-shaped point20. This is not used in the ordinary pruning but when a limb is to besawed off which is too large to enter the hook, the operator can movethe hook up above it and bring it down into the limb parallel with thegrain as shown in Fig. 6 to hold the device in that way. i will be seen,therefore, that the device can be used for the sawing of large limbsthat will not :0 into the hook No matter which way the device issupported on the limb, it is adapted to be clamped to it by means of alever 21 pivoted on the hook. This clamping lever is provided with aspring 29 for normally holding it away from the limb against a stop 21.hen released the lever will move out of the way automatically. The leveris extended beyond the hook and provided with a flexible connection 23,preferably in the form of a cord, that passes over guide rollers 24 onthe pole down to a suitable clamping device on the pole near the bottom.

I have shown this clamping device in Figs. 9 and 10. It consists ofabracket 25 fixed to the pole and provided with a passage under it inwhich is pivoted a clamping jaw 26 having a serrated operating edgesurface 27. The cord 23 is pulley down in the direction of the arrow inFig. 9 freely and then the clamping jaw 25 is moved against it by alight pressure on a handle 28 mounted on it. Now any force acting topull the cord up will simply increase the force with which the cord isclamped. It may be stated at this point that this type of fasteningdevice is used in several places in accordance with this inventionpreferably.

1 also mount on the pole a sawing device. I have shown this in Figs. 1and 2 as comprising a parallel motion construction formed of twoparallel levers 30 and two parallel links 31, connectin their ends. Thelevers are pivoted at their centers on. the pole. Connected with thisparallel motion structure at the upper end of one of the links 31 is asaw holding arm 32. This is provided with a number of perforations at 39and a'double-edge pruning saw 34; of any desired kind is fixed to itthrough the perforations. It is to be noted that the saw supporting arm32 is pivotally mounted but the saw is rigidly mounted on this arm.

In order to swing the saw on its pivot to move it from the positionshown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5 and through that to the oneshown in Fig. 6, l have mounted on the arm 32 a cross bar This isrigidly fixed to the arm and it is connected with two flexible members,preferably cords, 36 by a pair of springs 37. These cords pass underrollers 38 on the pole down to the bottom of it where they are held onan operating lever e0 by means of a pair of clamps 25, as abovedescribed.

The operating lever 40 is pivoted near the bottom of the pole on a screwor stud 4:1 mounted under a bracket 42 which serves to stiffen the partsandguide the lever. At the opposite ends of the lever it is providedwith iandles 1-3 for operating it and with eyes or hooks 44 providedwith a pair of flexible connections d5, preferably in the form of wirecables. These cables pass over guide rollers 16 on the pole and T haveshown them for convenience as crossing each other under the rollers nearthe lever 4:0 and passing upwardly parallel with each other. Then theycross each other again over an upper pair of guide rollers 46 on thepole near the lever 30. These cables are connected to the ends of thelower lever 30 by means of links 47. I have shown turn buckles 49 in thecables for adjusting them.

The operation of the device is very simple. The pole is transferred to aposition under the tree. The flexible connection 23 is loosened so thatthe spring 29 will move the clamping lever 21 back out of the way. Thenthe hook is placed over the limb, either as shown in Fig. 1 or as shownin Fig. 6. and the cord 23 is pulled to force the clamping lever 21firmly into contact with the limb and then held by the clamp 25 below.If it is a large enough limb so that it is desired to saw on the underside first to avoid splitting of the wood, the operator loosens cord 23and pulls down on the pole. This lowers the pole with respect to thehook to the position shown in Fig. Now. he pulls on the end of theproper connection 36 to swing the cross bar 35 over to the left, as isindicated in Fig. 5, until the end of the saw passes to the left underthe limb. It will be understood that the parallel motion connection 3132is normally pulled down to the position shown in Fig. 5 or as far as itwill move in that direction so that the saw does not normally projectfar above the limb. Now, the operator pulls on cord 23 and pushes up onthe pole and the pin 15 automatically springs into the notch 16 whenthey come into registration to hold these parts in the position shown inFig. 6 and cord 23 is fastened taut. Now, when the device hanging fromthe limb, and preferably steadied with one hand the operator oscillatesthe operating handle with the other. In some cases one operator cansteady the pole and a second one can operate the lever 40. The effect ofthis is to swing the lever 30 about its pivot and, of course, this takesthe parallel connections and the saw with it. The saw is held upagainstthe work by one of the springs 87, the two cords 36 beingadjusted so that most of the tension is on the one toward the limb.

After having made a cut in the lower side of the limb in that way, theoperator then goes through the above mentioned motions again to bringthe saw around to the other side of the limb as shown in Fig. 1, andthen complete the operation. The rollers 46 are insulated to protect theoperator from electric currents. A stop 33 is shown for preventing thesaw swinging too far.

In the form shown in Figs. 4: and 5, instead of the parallelconstruction is provided a single lever 30 employed by itself the links47 being connected directly to it. Also the shank of the hook 11 isshown as received inside the end of the pole or in a hollow cylindermounted upon the end. The operation, however is the same in both cases.

It will be seen, therefore, that owing to the narrowness of the hook alimb can be taken off very close to the trunk. The device is soconstructed that it can be made to hang down from the limb so that thelimb will support its weight. This relieves the operator of thenecessity of even assisting in holding it up so that all he has to do isto steady it and operate the saw.

Furthermore, the saw can be made to out two kerfs in the limb, one oneach side without moving the pole or hook. These two kerfs necessarilywill be in the same plane and, in fact, mechanical accuracy is securedin this respect so that the limb will be sawed off more evenly thanwould ordinarily be done by hand work unless a really expert man wereemployed. The bringing of the two cuts into the same plane is not withinthe control of the operator but is mechanically controlled. The way ofshifting from one side to the other is very simple and can be learnedvery easily by an ordinary operator. The construction by which thereciprocation of the saw is accomplished is simple and exact. Theoperation is a swinging lever motion instead of the usual directreciprocation so that it is much easier to do the work. On account ofclamping the hook to the limb by means of such a device as shown inFigs. 9 and 10, it the operator is interrupted during his work he canleave this instrument in place and when he starts again the saw willcontinue to operate in the same plane and there is no danger of itsbinding or sawing out of true. As the whole structure is supported andclamped at the limb on which it operates and can be steadied by theoperator at the bottom, it can be used when the limbs are swaying in thewind and perform just as good an operation as at any other time.Although I have illustrated and described only two forms of theinvention, I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the invention as'expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do notwish tobe limited to all the details of construction herein shown anddescribed but what I do claim is 1. A tree pruning device comprisingapole, a cutting device thereon, and a hook mount ed on the pole forsupporting the pole from 'the limb, said hook having a sharp wedgeshapedpoint adapted to be driven into the limb for attaching it thereto, alever pivoted on the hook for engaging the limb at a distance from thewedge-shaped point and helping to hold the hook and limb together, andmeans at the bottom of the pole for operating said lever.

2. In a tree pruning device, the combination of a pole, a hook at oneend thereof for engagement over the limb of a tree for supporting thepole from a limb, a lever mounted on the pole, a. saw connected withsaid lever, a pair of flexible connections each connected with oppositeends of said lever, said connections crossing each. other near the leverand passing down along the pole ad.- jacent thereto and then crossingeach other again near the bottom, and an operating lever pivoted nearthe bottom of the pole and having its two ends connected with saidflexible connections.

3. In a tree pruning device, the combination of a pole having a hook onthe end for supporting it on a limb at a distance from the ground, aparallel motion connection comprising two parallel levers and twoparallel links connecting the ends of said levers pivoted on said polenear the hook, a pruning saw connected with one end of said parallelconnection and extending from it in the general direction of the pole,two cables one connected with each end of the lower lever of theparallel mot-ion connection and located on one side of the pole, twosets of rollers for guiding said cables, one near the upper end and theother near the lower end of the pole, said cables crossing each othernear the upper rollers and extending down to the rollers and thencrossing each other again near the lower rollers, and a lever pivotednear the bottom of said pole, the opposite ends of the lever beingconnected with the two cables, whereby the oscillation of the lever onits pivot will pull down first one cable and then the other and swingthe parallel motion connection at all times parallel with the operatinglever and thus reciprocate the saw. o

4i. In a tree pruning device, the combination of a pole, a lever, an armprojecting upwardly from one end of the lever, a pruning saw fixed tothe end of said arm and having saw teeth on its opposite edges andextending from it in the general direction of thepole, two wire cablesone connected with each end of the lever and located on one side of thepole, two sets of rollers -for guiding said cables, one near the upperend and the other near the lower end of the pole, said cables crossingeach other near the upper rollers and extending down to the lowerrollers and then crossing each other again near the lower rollers, alever pivoted near the bottom of said pole, the opposite ends of thelever being connected with the two cables to reciprocate the saw, andmeans for swinging said arm to move the saw to either side.

5. In a tree pruning device, the combinationof a pole, a lever pivotedon said pole, an arm projecting upwardly from one end of the lever, apruning saw fixed to the end of said arm and having saw teeth on itsopposite edges and extending from it in the general direction of thepole, two wire cables one connected with each end of the lever locatedon one side of the pole and extending down, a lever pivoted near thebottom of said pole, the opposite ends of the lever being connected withthe two cables, whereby the oscillation of the lever on-its pivot willpull down first one cable and then the other and reciprocate the saw,and means for swinging said arm to move the saw to either side.

6. In a pruning device, the combination of a pole, a, hook at the topthereof movable lo-ngitudinallyon the pole and adapted to support thepole from a limb over which it is engaged, a lever pivoted 011 the pole,a

double-edged pruning saw pivotally connected with one end of the lever,means at the bottom of the pole for swinging the lever to reciprocatesaid saw, a cross bar connected with the saw, a pair of flexibleconnections extending from the opposite ends of said cross bar down tothe bottom of the pole, and means for adjusting said connections on saidoperating lever, wherebysaid flexible connectionscan be adjusted toswing the saw on its pivot to either side of a limb on which the hook ismounted.

7. In a pruning device, the combination of a pole, a hook on the poleadapted to support the pole from a. limb over which it is engaged, alever pivoted on the pole, double-edged pruning saw pivotally connee-tedwith one end of the lever, a cross bar connected with the saw, a pair offlexible connections extending from the opposite ends oi said cross bardown to the bot tom of the pole, and means for adjusting saidconnections on said operating lever, whereby said flexible connectionscan be adjusted to swing the saw on its pivot.

8. In a pruning device, the combination of a pole, means for supportingthe pole on a limb above, means for clamping the pole to the limb, a sawadapted to swing on a pivot, means for reciprocating said saw, andflexible connections from the clamping device and said saw extendingdown the pole, with means for holding said flexible connections to thebottom of the pole comprising a pivoted latch having a serrated edge forengaging the flexible connection and locating it in a position to clampthe connection more firmly as a force is exerted on it to pull it upwardalong the pole,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

LEON J. BARRETT.

